Chair



T. R. HAYES May. 3 1927.

CHAIR Filed Oct. 20. 1926 2 Sheets-Shet 2 FIG. 4;

Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES THOMAS R. HAYES, OF, MONROVIA, CALIFORNIA.

CHAIR.

Application filed October 20, 1926. Serial No. 142,981.

My invention relates particularly to collapsible or folding chairs of the class in which the seat is composed 'of flexible material such as a woven fabric, and is especially directed ,to' the means whereby the seat maybe connected with its supporting members.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a folding chair with seat supporting means so constructed and arranged as to tend to relieve the seat from the usual tensile strains incident, in chairs of this type, to the spreading action of the chair frame.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a folding chair with clamping means, so associated with a locking element as to positivelydetermine the relative height of the chair seat with respect to the floor upon which the chair rests, as well as the maximum width -hetween the extended side frames.

My invention comprehends suchan arrangement of the clamping means as to insure that the chair seat supports and lock ing elemen s will he maintained relatively parallel and normal to the legs of the chair frame structure, irrespective of any stretching of the fabric or material of which the chair seat may be formed.

My invention further includes a folding chair in which the seat fabric or material may be removed without effecting the stability of the relatively collapsible members.

My invention is equally 'applicableto chair frame members that approach and separate laterall" toward and from each other and those tiat fold forward and back with respect to the chair.

- The form of my invention as hereinafter described, comprises a chair frame provided with legs'upon which a rider plate, having oppositely disposed terminal flanges, is arranged. to slide, the rider plates of the legs of the respective frame members being connected by a seat supporting rail rigidly secured thereto and a locking bar of oval crosssection serving as an eccentric and-arranged to turn on .its axis between the inner flange of the rider plate and the chair leg to effect jamming of the outer flange against said chair leg;

My invention also includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified.

the arm 9.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible or folding chair conveniently embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the details of construction of the rider plate and its associated parts; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the chair shown in Fig. 1, in its collapsed or folded osition; Fig. 4 iso vertical transverse sect1onal view of the chair extended or spread-as shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the front thereof; Fig. '5 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of chair embodying my invention; Fig. -6-is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken transversely. as shown in Fig. 4, and showing the details of the rider plate connection. I

In said figures. the right frame of the chair comprises the front leg stile-1 and the back 1e stile 2, and the left frame comprises the ront leg stile 3 and the back leg stile 4, the leg stiles 1 and 2 being connected by the rungs 5 and 6 and the leg stiles 3 and 4 being connected by the rungs 7 and ,8 and r The right frame of the chair is provided with a table leaf 10 mounted to swing on the rung 6 and rovided with the eleat 12 having pivoted t ereto at 13 the leaf supporting bar 15, which, as best shown in Fig. 4, is provided with the notch .16," and is arranged to slide in the flanged guide plate 17, pivoted-to the leg stile 1 and serving as a keeper with which-the notch 16 mayen' I gage to support the table in horizontal position. I

When it is desired to drop the table leaf into its verticalor inoperative position, the leaf supporting bar may be forced inwardly,

as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, to 'release the notch 16 from its keeper to permit the leaf supporting bar to slide downwardly through the ide 17.

The leg sti es 1 and 2 of the right frame are embraced by the o positely flanged rider,

plates 19 and 20 whic areconnected by the seat supporting rail 22 rigidly secured thereto by the screws 21, and'by the eccentric locking bar 23 which is rotatabliy associated therewith b the screws 25, an which is connected by t e trellis bars 26 and 27 with the chair rung 7 upon which said trellis bars are arranged to rotate,

Similarly, the leg stiles 3 and t of the left frame are embraced by the oppositely rigidly secured thereto by the screws 31,

and by the eccentric locking bar 33 which is rotatably associated therewith by the screws 25, and which is connected by the trellis bars 36 and 37 with the chair rung 5 upon which said trellis bars are arranged to rotate. As best shown in Figs. 1 and, 4, the trellis bars are pivoted together intermediate of their length as at39.

The seat supportin rails 22 and 32 are arranged to support t e seat 40 which may be of any desired form or material, but may. preferably be in the form of an endless belt or band'of flexible 'materi'althrou'gh, the looped ends 41 and 42 of which said rails 22 and 32 extend, as illustrated.

The back leg stiles 2 and 4 of the respective side frames of the chair are extended upwardly to support the back-rest which may preferably be formed in a manner simi-.

lar to the seat and be composed of an endless band of flexible material 45 through the looped ends 46 and 47 of which the back rest stays 48 and 49 may extend as shown, said stays being pivoted to the leg stiles 2 and 4, as at 50.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the rider plates are each provided with opposed parallel inner and outer terminal'flanges 52 and 53 respectively, the outer flan es 53 hearing against the outer sides of the le stiles, and the inner flanges being so space from the inner side of said leg stiles as to embrace the ends of the seat rails and looking bars, see Figs. 4 and 6, wherein it will be obvious that when the side frames including the leg stiles are caused to relatively approach, the locking bar 23 will release the rider plate by relievin its frictional'engagement with the leg stile such as 19 shown in said figures, and that when said side frames are'spread or extended to effeet consequent rotation of said locking bar, the eccentrically extended rounded corners 55 and 56 will respectively engage the flange 52 and the inner face of the leg stile, and so tend to jam them apart as to force the flange .53 into frictional engagement with the outer face of the leg stile.

In the form of chair shown in Fig. 5, to which my invention may be readily applied, the back legstiles 60 are provided with rider plates 61 having the flanges 62 and 63, and are connected with the front legs 65 by the trellis bars or struts 66 which are ivoted at 67 to said legs 65 and at 68 to said eg -stiles 60 and which carry the forwardseat sup )orting rail 69 between which and the bac terial maybe suspended. In this form of chair, the front legs 65 el diregtly connected with the locking bar seat supporting rail 70 on the rider plates 61 the seat 71 of flexible machair frame members are extended or spread, as illustrated in said figure, the extended corners 75 and 76 of the locking bar 7 2 will bear against the flanges 62 and inner faces ofthe leg stiles 60 with such force as to frictionally engage the flanges 63 with the outer faces of the leg stiles 60, and when said chair frame members are caused to approach or collapse, the locking bar will be rotated to release said rider plates and permit them to freely slide upwardly on their respective le stiles.

My invention is advantageous in that by the employment of rider plates as contemplated, the stretching of the canvas or other flexible material forming the seat effect no influence upon the working members of the chair, and the seat may be removed from the chair frames without affecting their relation. -Furthermore, the weight of a person on the seat of the chair tends to draw the flange of the rider plates firmly against leg stiles, and also tends to crowd the locking bar to the opposite side of the leg stiles, thus pinchin them between the two. This action is efliclently efi'ectcd regardless of any stretching of the seat material and also relievds the weight from the screws at the respective ends of the locking bar. The greater the weight on the seat of the chair, the more rigid it becomes, thereby making it at such times as solid and firm as a permanent chair. Such construction also permits the tree adjustment of the chair n embers without conflicting with the table leaf structure.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. A colla sible chair comprising relatively mova le frames having leg stiles upon which .rider plates having terminal, flanges are arranged to slide, a seat rail rigidly connectin the oppositely, disposed rider lates an arranged to support a seat formed of flexible material, and a locking bar rotatably associated with said rider plates arranged to frictionally engage said rider plates with said leg stiles.

2. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames having leg stiles, rider plates each having relatively parallel flanges arranged to slidably embrace said leg stiles, an eccentric locking bar rotatably associated with said rider plates and arplates arranged'to effect the engagement and 'release of sad rider plates with theirrespectively movable frames having leg stiles,-

rider plates each having relative opposite arallel flanges arranged to slidably emrace said leg stiles, "an eccentric locking bar rotatably associated with said rider tive leg stiles, upon the extension and apr proach of said frames, and seat supporting rails carried by said-rider plates independent of said locking bars.

5. A collapsible chair 'com ri'sing -relativel movable frames each having a forwar leg stile and a rearward leg stile,,a rider plate having opposite relatively parallel flanges arranged to slidably embrace each of said leg stiles, an eccentric locking bar rotatably engaged with opposed rider plates and extended between one of the flanges of said rider plates'and the leg stile, and means connecting said locking bar with the opposed relatively movable frame arranged to effect the rotation of said locking bar whereby the relative separation of said frames efl'ect rotation of saidJock'ing bar to frictionally engage said rider with its leg' stile,

and the relative approach of said frame. effects a release of said frictional engage-- .ment.

6. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames each having le stiles, rider plates having opposite rel atively arallel flanges arranged to slidably emrace said leg stiles of one of said frames,

an eccentric locking bar rotatably engaged between opposite leg stiles and one of the flanges of their respective rider plates, said locking bar being connected with the other of said frames to affect its rotation when said frames are relatively moved, whereby the extension of said frames efi'ects frictional engagement of said rider plates with their respective leg stiles. and the approach of said frames effects release of said frictional engagement.

7. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames each having leg stiles.

a table leaf hingedly connected with said stiles, and a seat supporting structure movable np and down on said stiles andarranged to avoid interference with said table leaf, comprising flanged rider plates arranged to slide on said stiles and connected by a seat supporting rail, andhaving an eccentric locking bar disposed between said leg stiles and the flanges of the respective rider plates, whichwhen rotated efl'ects frictional engagement of said structure with said stiles.

-8. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames each having leg stiles, and a seat supporting structure comprising riderplates respectively having oppositely disposed parallel flanges slidably embracing said leg'stiles, a seat supporting rail free from said leg stiles, connecting said rider plates, and an eccentric locking bar connected with said rider plates and their respective leg stiles. arranged to be turned to jam said rider plates into frictional engagement. with said leg stiles.

9. A collapsible chair structure comprising rider plates having oppositely disposed terminal flanges, a seat supporting rail connecting said rider plates between said flanges. and a rotatableeccentric locking bar connecting said rider plates independently of said seat rail, and disposed between said flanges and adjacent to one of the flanges of. the respective rider plates.

In witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of September, A. D.

, THOMAS n. HAYES. 

